The 5 Best Laptops For $400 in 2023- The Best On A Tight Budget

Looking for the best laptop for $400 in 2021? We offer laptops that are perfect for any budget, including our most affordable and powerful laptop options. Browse our selection of laptops below to find the perfect one for you.

The Best Laptops For $400

    Need a laptop for work or school? This 15.6" Lenovo ThinkPad X380 Yoga is a great deal at $377, especially since it's a Windows 10 notebook with an excellent ThinkPad keyboard and trackpad. You'll still get solid performance at this price, which makes it a great option for a second machine.

    laptop for work or school

    This 15.6" Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is a great option for people who want a laptop that can serve as their main workstation and travel computer for a couple hundred dollars less than the X380 Yoga. It has the better build quality and a far better keyboard than the X380 Yoga.

    Dell Inspiron 15 3000

    This 13" Microsoft Surface Go is the best Surface for under $500, and one of the best Windows 10 tablets for getting work done.

    How To Choose A Laptop in 2021

    When choosing a laptop, think about a few key features. We want a laptop that is: Lightweight and portable Quiet to use in public Easy to use, whether at home or at work Safe to use, especially for kids We know it's tough to choose the perfect laptop. It really depends on the situation you're in and your budget. If you just need a laptop for yourself, keep in mind the trade-offs you may want to consider. Below, you'll see some of the major ones that you should consider when you're choosing a laptop.

    Budget Laptops in 2021

    Our budget laptops list includes the laptops that are perfect for students, people on a tight budget, and anyone who is looking for a budget laptop for basic tasks. Some of these laptops are slow, while others have slower processors or low storage. Many of them do not include Windows 10 and 11, a reliable operating system that will get you off to a great start in the real world. 

    1. Lenovo ThinkPad14u with Intel Celeron Processor N3450 ($199 on Amazon

    Lenovo ThinkPad14u

    The Lenovo ThinkPad 14u features a Celeron N3450 CPU, which is a quad-core processor that is faster than older Core M processors.

    ThisCeleron N3450 processor is the 8th Generation model, so it should have similar power to the Core M-7Y30 processor you’ll find in the HP Spectre 13 or the Dell XPS 13.

    $200 - $300 Budget in 2021

    If your bank account can only stretch so far and you're looking to get a laptop that won't break the bank, we have you covered with laptops that are priced below $300. 

    While you might find a budget laptop that is capable of handling most tasks, what you'll find is a laptop that feels outdated and low-quality, which can make it frustrating to use for a long period of time. 

    For an even more budget-friendly laptop, you may be disappointed with how much performance it has, especially if it's a budget laptop. How long will it last? Considering you're buying a laptop for the average person, you should expect a typical laptop to easily last two to three years before it starts to show its age.

    $400 - $600 Budget in 2021

    MSI GL62M VEGA 56 R3 MSI's top-of-the-line MSI GL62M VEGA 56 R3 is a powerful gaming laptop that will hold its own against the MacBook Air and Dell XPS 15. 

    The best thing about the MSI GL62M VEGA 56 R3 is the price point. The laptop boasts NVIDIA GTX 1060 Max-Q graphics and a high-performance Intel Core i7 processor. 

    Plus, MSI has designed a display that doesn't skimp on pixels and vibrant colors. This laptop's standout feature is its internal design. Despite being made of solid aluminum, the MSI GL62M VEGA 56 R3 is lightweight, and one of the lightest gaming laptops we've ever seen.

    Best Premium Laptops in 2021

    If you're looking for a high-performance laptop for business, or just for a way to keep your work-related tasks going without lugging around a laptop bag, then you'll want to start looking at laptops with prices that start at $600. These workstations will have the power to keep up with today's demanding apps and software without sacrificing too much on size, durability, or portability.

    The 15-inch MacBook Pro, for instance, has an Intel Core i7 processor and a larger, 16GB memory, but still offers portability, speed, and battery life. You could also save up to $330 if you go for a 16GB RAM configuration instead.

    Over $1000+laptop in 2021

    Apple MacBook Air

    Apple MacBook Air (Mid-2021) 13" MacBook Air (Mid-2021)

    Review What is the best laptop for $1000 and less? Apple MacBook Air (Mid-2021) 13" MacBook Air (Mid-2021) Review If you're an Apple fan, then the Apple MacBook Air is the laptop for you. However, the best options run well over $1000 and it's not cheap. Read More The Apple MacBook Air (Mid-2021) 13" (Mid-2021) is essentially an updated version of last year's, the 2015 MacBook Air. It’s not as fast, has a lower-resolution screen, and has no touch bar. It's also priced considerably more expensive than most laptops, and even Apple's own $999 MacBook. It does have plenty of hidden value though, which we'll go into in the following sections.

    Conclusion

    Overall, I highly recommend every budget buyer consider a touchscreen. It's just so much easier to use — and enjoy.

    That said, touchscreens aren't as suited for people with large fingers or, really, anyone with fingers. They're also harder to use with gloves, so consider that if you'll be using a touchscreen on chilly days. Otherwise, touchscreens are great.

    If you need one, then, by all means, pick up a great touchscreen laptop for under $500, as long as you factor in the additional cost of a touchscreen cover.

    Hopefully, our comparisons above show you what features you should look for in a touchscreen laptop and how to find them on a budget.


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